VICTORIA'S
GREATEST DRIVING TOURS AND HERITAGE TOWNS
Historic...
CAMPERDOWN
Camperdown’s main street boasts a two-kilometre long avenue of English elms, planted as saplings by local schoolchildren in 1876. Now classified by the National Trust and listed on the register of Significant Trees of Victoria, the bright green foliage shades historic statues, war memorials and monuments to the district’s pioneers. The monolithic Gothic-style clock tower, built in 1896 in memory of Thomas Manifold, rises high above the century-old trees and the town’s tallest buildings.
In the early days of the region’s settlement, Lake Corangamite and the Stony rises formed an impassable barrier to wheeled traffic. The Manifold brothers explored and settled the area west of the rises around 1839, finally choosing the shores of Lake Purrumbete for their pastoral base and homestead. Camperdown, a few kilometres west, was surveyed fourteen years later and a road (now the Princes Highway) arrived in 1860.
Camperdown’s centre, Manifold Street, has a number of significant buildings: the Court House C. 1887 is particularly noted for its polychromic brick design and is classified by the National Trust. In almost every street, the town’s early settlement shows its close affinity with Britain. Many colonial and Victorian-era buildings survive from the middle of last century; the Leura Hotel stables circa 1857, were once a Cobb & Co coach stop; Penzance built in 1858 was the home of a store keeper; Cole’s Cottage is the 1865 bluestone house of squatter Francis Cole, and nearby is a manna gum under which colonial settlers once camped.
The National Trust classified Court House on the corner of Manifold and McNicol Streets is noted for its fine polychromic brick design; Tea Pot Cottage c.1870 is a prim weatherboard dwelling built for one of the town’s first butchers.
A public holiday was declared, and a banquet held for the arrival of the first train in July 1883. The impressive station building, circa 1883 remains as a reminder of the importance of the Melbourne-Warrnambool railway in those early days.
Information leaflets are available freely in town - the Heritage Walks are fascinating. In the last few years a couple of good bakeries and cafes have been established in the main street, making the town a good refreshment stop en route the Great Ocean Road or Warrnambool. A couple of local country pubs make decent meals if you're staying in Camperdown overnight.
On the south fringe of Camperdown is Mount Leura. Drive or walk to the top for a panoramic view of the third-largest volcanic plain in the world. Adjoining is Mt Sugarloaf, a symmetrical volcanic cone classified and purchased by the National Trust in 1970. From here, on a clear day, you can see scores of ancient volcanoes and crater lakes far into the distance.
Two kilometres west, Lakes Bullen Merri and Gnotuk are twin volcanic craters separated by a narrow strip of land. Lake Gnotuk is salty and 30m lower than Bullen Merri which has fresh water and excellent fishing. A scenic drive takes in the picnic grounds and swimming beach reserve.
Camperdown is located on the Princes Highway 193 km west of Melbourne, about two and a half hours drive.
Alternative return through the scenic lakes and volcano country to the north is recommended: take the road to Foxhow, returning to the city via Cressy on Hamilton Hwy.
COPYRIGHT PETER ROBINSON 2007
